This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and, more particularly, to a caster assembly for a canister vacuum cleaner which also functions as part of the cord wrap structure for the electric line cord of the vacuum cleaner. Canister vacuum cleaner casings typically are provided with a pair of fixed axis rear wheels and a pivoting front caster assembly, including a caster wheel, to allow the vacuum cleaner casing to be pulled by means of the hose which extends out from its front end. The front caster assembly is free to pivot about an axis to allow for changes in direction of the pulling motion. Examples of such caster structure may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,295 to Meyerhoefer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,179 to Descarries and U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,952 to Johanson et al. In all of those caster assemblies, ball bearings are provided to allow the caster assembly to pivot about an axis transverse to the lower surface of the canister vacuum cleaner casing. Additionally, the line of rotation of the caster wheel passes through the pivot axis of the caster assembly and the rotational axis of the caster wheel is offset from the pivot axis, so that the caster wheel tends to move to the rear relative to the pivot axis when the vacuum cleaner casing is moved in a forward direction.
The known prior art caster assemblies suffer from a number of disadvantages. First, the use of ball bearings increases the number of parts and the subsequent cost of the assembly. Further, assembling and installing the caster assembly is complicated and time consuming, again increasing the cost. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved caster assembly with a reduced number of parts and increased ease of assembly.
Vacuum cleaners are operated by means of electrical power. With the exception of battery powered units, vacuum cleaners have an electrical line cord which extends out from the vacuum cleaner casing, typically from the rear thereof, for connection to an electrical power outlet. The higher priced units may have a retractable cord reel for storage of the electrical line cord when the vacuum cleaner is not in use. Lower priced models are provided with cord wraps about which the electrical line cord is wound for storage purposes. These additional elements increase the cost of the vacuum cleaner. It is therefore a further object of the present invention to utilize the caster assembly as part of the cord wrap structure.